He’s just exited one of the Vacante’s Style Parlor vintage-looking barber chairs and noted the confidence he invariably feels after having placed his grooming in Vacante’s hands.

“He delivers every single time,” Forlano said. “He’s gotten me ready for my wrestling matches, soccer games … whenever I’ve had a big event, I know I can count on Chris. And you’re getting more than just a haircut here.”

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It’s the unspoken bond that Vacante, like many engaging barbers, has established with clients like Forlano that prompted the Norristown resident to follow his favorite barber from his former haunts, Vacante’s Barber Shop in East Norriton, to his own venture in Jeffersonville, where haircuts are $18.

“A lot of my regulars have followed me. You build relationships with these people,” said Vacante, who learned the trade from his dad, Emanuel, who opened Vacante’s Barber Shop in Northtowne Plaza in 1985 with his brothers Ben and Nick.

“With some of the regulars, I’ve been cutting their hair since I started 15 years ago, and now I’m cutting their kids’ hair. When I first started I used to call my dad and uncles the old guys. Now I’m 35 and I’m the old guy to these two young guys,” he added, laughing, referring to the other barbers on staff, Jeff Calhoun and Steven Russo.

Vacante’s Style Parlor debuted in January in the former home of H&R Block, next to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, all freshly renovated and sporting the philosophy of its owner-operator as a kind of new-fashioned, old-school barber shop — the sort of place where men can get a good haircut, beard trim and hot lather shave while listening to everything from classic rock to ’60s oldies.

And yes, also do a little bonding with the guy cutting their hair, as they nurse a beer, scotch or cup of coffee.

After 15 years working side by side with his dad and uncles at Vacante’s Barber Shop, Vacante said it was time to strike out on his own.

“I was with them for so long and I wanted to branch off on my own and have something a little different … old-school classic, father and son, come in, have a cup of coffee, have some wine or beer, watch sports, use the WiFi,” said Vacante, a Norristown native. “Not like it’s a drunken hangout. I just want guys to come in and feel comfortable. One guy came in the other day and said, ‘I’m not getting a haircut, I just want to get away from my wife.’ He’s a good customer and that was fine.”

After scouting around in Conshohocken, Vacante found the perfect lease-to-purchase space on West Main Street in Jeffersonville, with designated parking in front, on the side and around back, in an area he felt was in dire need of a neighborhood barber shop where men could fraternize in an easygoing masculine setting.

“We were getting flooded with barbers in East Norriton area, so I came here, 15 minutes away, where there aren’t any barbers,” Vacante noted. “I like the space, being right on the road and very visible. Business has been steady since we opened and we cater to all ages. We offer over-65 senior citizen discounts on Mondays and Tuesdays, $13 haircuts, and on Thursdays, $5 off for military and first responders. I just want everybody to be comfortable and feel welcome here.

“I came here to give out some good haircuts and have some camaraderie with new people.”